Page 103 of Indigo

“Pax?” I ask, as he grips my hand in his, locks the car and heads for the street. “Baby, where are we going?” I burst into laughter as he tugs me along behind him and I struggle to keep pace. “What’s the rush? I thought we were early?”

I step onto the curb and peer around him at the building we’re walking toward.

The Black Swan.

I swoon for a moment, touched that the night we reconnected means as much to him as it does me. He’s adorable for planning this, and I’m incredibly grateful that he got me this dress because this place definitely wouldn’t have let me in if I wore something out of my wardrobe.

Instead of walking toward the entrance, he leads me around the back of the building.

“Oh, no.” I laugh, tugging at his hand, trying to get him to stop. “I am not sitting on the floor of this parking lot in this dress, Mr. No matter how sweet the thought. We’re big kids now. Let’s sit at a tab–Holy shit.”

As we round the corner, I realise the parking lot is empty. No cars, but there is a table. A single table right in the middle of the lot, surrounded by what looks like battery operated pillar candles of all different sizes.

“Come on, Blue,” Pax whispers into my hair, placing his hand on the small of my back, and leading me forward while my brain tries to take in the scene in front of me.

A beautiful, deep red tablecloth is draped over the table, several tea light candles flicker in their holders, and right in the middle sits a small vase filled with seaside daisies.

“You organised all of this for my birthday? For me?” I ask, looking up at him as we approach, tears already building in my eyes at how wonderfully sweet this is.

“Anything for you,” he replies, slinging his arm over my shoulder and pulling me closer to his side. “Anything.”

We greet the waiter, who stands quietly beside our table as we approach, a white linen napkin draped over his forearm.

Pax pulls my chair out for me, and I’m sure to the man standing behind us he looks like a gentleman, but the subtle grope of my right ass cheek as I attempt to sit proves he’s anything but. Despite that, I reach for him as he takes his seat, and he reciprocates, taking my hand in his and turning it palm up before placing a kiss in the centre.

I let my head fall to the side, and let out a content sigh. “I love you, you know that?”

“You’ve got no idea, Blue,” he replies, looking back at me with as much adoration as I’m sure is shining in my eyes.

“Can I start you off with some drinks?” The waiter asks, placing two menus in front of us.

“Oh, um, white wine will be fine,” I reply, darting my eyes to Pax. “Whatever you recommend.”

“Give us a minute, would you?” Pax asks, winking at me.

The waiter nods and takes a couple of steps back, giving us some privacy for a moment.

“You don’t drink white wine. What do you really want, Blue?”

I bite my bottom lip and consider my choices.

“Indigo,” Pax whispers, grinning from ear to ear now. “It’s your damn birthday. Whatever you want, you get. So tell me what you want.”

Licking my lips, I make a show of trailing my gaze down his body and ask, “Is that right?”

“Later.” He laughs. “Drink?”

“Pepsi,” I reply immediately, not overthinking it. Who cares if it’s a little odd for a twenty-five-year-old woman to be celebrating her birthday with a glass of soft drink?

He nods. “Mate, we’ll have a glass of Pepsi, please. No ice. I’ll have whichever beer you see first when you walk behind the bar.”

The waiter looks confused, and a little taken aback, but hides it well after a momentary slip, and rushes away to get what we’ve asked for with a simple dip of his chin in acknowledgement.

I watch him leave and turn back to Pax with a huge smile on my face, only to find him tugging at the collar of his shirt again as if he’s hot sitting out here in the night air. I observe him as he picks up his menu and clears his throat. “Right. What do you want to eat?”

I pick out a pasta dish, and once the waiter comes back with our drinks, Pax places our order and then we’re left alone again.

His hand trembles a little as he lifts his beer to his lips, and I finally ask, “Okay, what’s going on? You’re acting weird.”

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